Travs, Twisters kick off seasons

The St. Louis Cardinals farm club is finally back at Ray Winder Field after a few years’ absence, but not in the Arkansas Travelers’ uniforms. The new Springfield Cardinals of the Texas League are the home opener for the Arkansas Travelers on Thursday, April 7, at Ray Winder Field, and the teams will play four games through Sunday, April 10.
Game times are 7:10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children.
That’s just half of the big minor-league sports weekend in Central Arkansas.
The Arkansas Twisters, annually one of the top-drawing teams in indoor football, open their Arena Football 2 season at home on Saturday, April 9, against Oklahoma City. Game time is 7 p.m. at Alltel Arena, and tickets begin at $10 in the upper deck and $21 in the lower bowl.
Taking a cue from the basketball RimRockers, who drew a huge turnout at Alltel for a similar promotion, the Twisters will call on NASCAR as a side draw to the football on Saturday. “NASCAR Night” will include such auto racing memorabilia as Mark Martin’s No. 6 Viagra and Valvoline race cars, Rusty Wallace’s car and a suit worn by the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. Fans can also participate in the Twisters 200 by designing their own cardboard race cars and racing at halftime for two tickets to the fall Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, plus other prizes.
Call 975-5425 for more Twisters news.
Travelers promotions at Ray Winder Field include Academy Sports and Outdoors bingo between innings on Thursday, magnetic schedules available on Friday and Saturday, and Academy Sports family day on Sunday, when discount tickets are available via Academy Sports and Outdoors. Also kids can run the bases after games Friday through Sunday. Sunday is also AARP Day, with free admission for those with an AARP membership card.
Call 664-1555 for more Travs info.